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News Release

TECO Energy reports first quarter 2012 results

Company maintains 2012 earnings per share guidance in a range between $1.30 and $1.40

TAMPA, May 1, 2012

TECO Energy Inc. (NYSE:TE) today reported first quarter 2012 net income of $50.5 million, or $0.24 per share, compared to $51.7 million, or $0.24 per share, in the first quarter of 2011.

TECO Energy President and CEO John Ramil said, "We are pleased to report earnings consistent with last year, despite the mildest winter in 40 years. We are seeing stronger customer growth at our Florida utilities, and the state and local economies are continuing to improve as demonstrated by increasing employment. We are also very pleased with the $4.00 per ton margin expansion that TECO Coal achieved this quarter from better selling prices for its specialty coals from contracts signed in 2011 when prices were stronger. "

Non-GAAP Results

There were no non-GAAP adjustments to net income in the first quarter of 2012 or 2011, or the 12-months-ended March 31, 2012.

The table below compares the TECO Energy GAAP net income to the non-GAAP measures used in this release for the 12 month ended 2011 period. Non-GAAP results exclude charges and gains contained in the Results Reconciliation table later in this release . See the Non-GAAP Presentation section and Results Reconciliation table later in this release for a reconciliation to GAAP results and a discussion regarding this presentation of non-GAAP results and management's use of this information.

All amounts included in the non-GAAP discussion below are after tax, unless otherwise noted.

Results Comparisons

3 months ended March 31

12 months ended March 31

(millions)

2012

2011

2012

2011

Net income attributable to TECO Energy

$ 50.5

$ 51.7

$271.4

$234.9

Non-GAAP Results

$ 50.5

$ 51.7

$271.4

$254.3

Segment Reporting

The table below includes TECO Energy segment information on a GAAP basis, which includes all charges and gains for the periods shown.

Segment Information

3 months ended March 31

12 months ended March 31

(in millions)

Net Income (loss)

2012

2011

2012

2011

Tampa Electric

$31.4

$31.6

$202.5

$192.3

Peoples Gas System

11.0

14.7

28.9

30.9

TECO Coal

9.8

8.2

53.2

44.4

TECO Guatemala

6.6

6.3

22.6

37.6

Parent/other

(8.3)

(9.1)

(35.8)

(70.3)

Net income attributable to TECO Energy

$50.5

$51.7

$271.4

$234.9

Operating Company Results

All amounts included in the operating company and Parent/other results discussions are after tax, unless otherwise noted.

Tampa Electric

Net income for the first quarter was $31.4 million, compared to $31.6 million for the same period in 2011 reflecting slightly higher base revenues offset by higher depreciation expense. Energy sales were higher driven in part by higher industrial volumes. Residential sales were impacted by very mild winter weather in January and February offset by warmer than normal March weather, compared to 2011, when the weather was mild throughout the quarter.

Total heating and cooling degree days were 9% above normal in 2012 and 10% above 2011 levels, driven by warmer than normal March weather. The benefit of above-normal cooling degree days in March was partially offset by heating degree days approximately 50% below normal in the first quarter.

Total net energy for load, which is a calendar measurement of retail energy sales rather than a billing-cycle measurement, increased 3.4% in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the same period in 2011. The first quarter energy sales shown on the statistical summary that accompanies this earnings release reflect the higher sales associated with the late December 2010 cold weather that were included in 2011 energy sales due to the timing of billing cycles, and year-to-year variations in the billing cycles. Higher sales to industrial-phosphate customers were driven by an outage on a phosphate customer's own generating unit in the first quarter of 2012 and relocation of large electric-driven mining equipment to Tampa Electric's system. Higher sales to commercial customers reflect improvements in the local economy, and lower sales to the weather-sensitive residential customers are a result of the mild winter weather.

Because the 3.4% increase in energy sales was driven primarily by higher sales to the lower margin interruptible customers, first quarter pretax base revenues were only $1.8 million higher than 2011, reflecting the effects of mild weather on the weather-sensitive residential and small commercial customers. The average number of customers increased 1.0% in the 2012 first quarter as a result of improvements in the Florida economy and Tampa area housing market. First quarter 2012 customer growth was the strongest customer growth since the fourth quarter of 2007.

Operations and maintenance expense, excluding all Florida Public Service Commission-approved cost recovery clauses, was essentially unchanged in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the same period in 2011, reflecting lower bad-debt expense offset by higher other operating costs. Depreciation and amortization expense increased $1.5 million due to additions to facilities to serve customers.

Peoples Gas

Peoples Gas reported net income of $11.0 million for the first quarter, compared to $14.7 million in the same period in 2011. The significantly below normal heating degree days in January and February reduced sales to the weather-sensitive residential customers in the first quarter. In 2011, base revenues included a benefit due to the late December 2010 cold weather due to the timing of billing cycles. Quarterly results reflect a 0.9% higher average number of customers due to improvements in the Florida economy and housing markets. Total therm sales increased 12.4%, driven by a 54.1% increase in gas transported for power generation customers as low natural gas prices made it the more attractive fuel for power generation. This increase was partially offset by a 26.2% decrease in sales to weather-sensitive residential customers due to the very mild winter weather in 2012 . Lower therm sales to commercial and industrial customers reflect outages at certain large customers partially offset by a previously idled customer returning to service. Off-system sales decreased in 2012 due to the mild winter weather. Non-fuel operations and maintenance expense increased slightly compared to 2011 levels due to higher outside services costs. Results also reflect slightly higher depreciation expense due to routine plant additions.

TECO Coal

TECO Coal reported first quarter net income of $9.8 million on sales of 1.4 million tons, compared to $8.2 million, on sales of 2.1 million tons in the same period of 2011. Results reflected an average net per-ton selling price, excluding transportation allowances, of almost $96 per ton, compared to more than $81 per ton in 2011.

In the first quarter of 2012, the all-in total per-ton cost of production was $87, compared to $76 per ton in the 2011 period. Costs in the first quarter reflect costs associated with idling a section of a mine and other costs associated with reducing production in January, and thus are at the high end of the 2012 cost range. Compared to 2011, costs also reflect higher surface mining costs due to increased diesel fuel usage as a result of trucking coal and overburden further due to the lack of new surface mine permits; higher royalty and severance fees, which are related to selling costs; and spreading fixed costs over fewer tons. TECO Coal's effective income tax rate in the first quarter of 2012 was 24%, compared to 16% in the 2011 period.

TECO Guatemala

TECO Guatemala reported first quarter net income of $6.6 million in 2012, compared to $6.3 million in 2011. Results reflect lower contract and spot energy sales due to unit availability at the San José Power Station more than offset by higher power prices and lower operating expenses.

Parent / Other

Parent/other cost in the first quarter was $8.3 million, compared to a cost of $9.1 million for the 2011 period. Results in 2012 reflect $0.7 million lower interest expense as a result of the 2011 debt retirement in May of that year.

2012 Guidance and Business Drivers

TECO Energy is maintaining its 2012 earnings per share guidance range between $1.30 and $1.40, excluding charges and gains, and its business drivers are discussed below.

Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas expect to earn within their respective allowed return ranges from customer growth in line with the trends experienced in 2011, and a continued focus on cost management. The guidance assumes normal weather for the remainder of the year for both utilities.

TECO Coal remains at the more than 90% contracted level for its expected 2012 sales of between 7.0 and 7.3 million tons. The average selling price across all products is expected to be more than $96 per ton, which reflects substantially all of the planned 2012 metallurgical sales contracted and priced. The product mix is expected to be about 50% specialty coal, which includes stoker, metallurgical and PCI coals, and the remainder utility steam coal. Metallurgical coal volumes are expected to be at, or slightly above, 2011 levels. The fully-loaded cost of production is expected to be in a range between $83 and $87 per ton. TECO Coal's effective income tax rate is expected to be about 25% for the full year.

The guidance assumes normal operations for the Alborada Power Station in Guatemala. At the San José Power Station an extended steam turbine overhaul outage is planned, which will reduce energy sales primarily in the fourth quarter, and it is expected to reduce net income approximately $4 million compared to 2011.

The guidance is dependent on important variables, such as the continued economic and housing market recovery in Florida, weather and customer usage at the Florida utilities, and volumes and margins at TECO Coal.

Non-GAAP Presentation

In the first quarters of 2012 and 2011, there were no charges or gains that would cause non-GAAP results to differ from net income. For comparison to prior periods, management believes it is helpful to present a non-GAAP measure of performance, which reflects the ongoing operations of TECO Energy's businesses and allows investors to better understand and evaluate the business as it is expected to operate in future periods.

Management and the board of directors use non-GAAP results as a benchmark for measuring the company's performance, for making decisions that are dependent upon the profitability of the company's various operating units, and for determining levels of incentive compensation.

The non-GAAP results reported by the company are not a measure of performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and should not be considered an alternative to net income or other GAAP figures as an indicator of the company's financial performance or liquidity. TECO Energy's non-GAAP presentation of net income may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

(1) A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure that includes or excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of including or excluding amounts that are included or excluded from the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Conference call information

As previously announced, TECO Energy will conduct a webcast and conference call with the financial community at 5:00 pm Eastern time on May 1, 2012, covering its first quarter results and its outlook for the remainder of 2012. The webcast will be accessible through the link on TECO Energy's website: www.tecoenergy.com . The webcast and accompanying slides will be available for replay for 30 days through the website, beginning approximately two hours after the conclusion of the live event.

TECO Energy, Inc. (NYSE: TE) is an energy-related holding company. Its principal subsidiary, Tampa Electric Company, is a regulated utility in Florida with both electric and gas divisions (Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas System). Other subsidiaries include TECO Coal, which owns and operates coal production facilities in Kentucky and Virginia, and TECO Guatemala, which is engaged in electric power generation and energy-related businesses in Guatemala.

Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Actual results may differ materially from those forecasted. The forecasted results are based on the company's current expectations and assumptions, and the company does not undertake to update that information or any other information contained in this press release, except as may be required by law. Factors that could impact actual results include: regulatory actions by federal, state or local authorities; unexpected capital needs or unanticipated reductions in cash flow that affect liquidity; the ability to access the capital and credit markets when required; the availability of adequate rail transportation capacity for the shipment of TECO Coal's production; general economic conditions affecting energy sales at the utility companies; economic conditions, both national and international, affecting the Florida economy and demand for TECO Coal 's production; costs for alternative fuels used for power generation affecting demand for TECO Coal's thermal coal production; weather variations and changes in customer energy usage patterns affecting sales and operating costs at Tampa Electric and Peoples Gas and the effect of extreme weather conditions or hurricanes; operating conditions; commodity prices; operating cost and environmental or safety regulations affecting the production levels and margins at TECO Coal; fuel cost recoveries and related cash at Tampa Electric and natural gas demand at Peoples Gas; the ability to complete the scheduled 2012 outage at the San José Power Station on time and on budget; and the ability of TECO Energy's subsidiaries to operate equipment without undue accidents, breakdowns or failures. Additional information is contained under "Risk Factors" in TECO Energy, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended Dec. 31, 2011.